In late August our ship MV Aurora arrived in the bay of Korcula as I slept soundly in my bed. I woke around 9am and went up on deck to have my first glimpse of Croatia. As I walked through the automatic sliding doors on top deck I was greeted by an awesome view. My first impression of Croatia reminded me of the opening scenes from the movie The Big Blue - crystal clear waters, rocky terrain, beautiful sunshine and a cooling breeze. We were on the island of Korcula, a quaint fishing island boasting the home of the world famous - Marko Polo. The cruise ship dropped anchor a way from the harbour and I enjoyed the vivid scenery on the tender boat ride to shore. The tiny dock looked old and wise, steeped in a long history from the resistance of the commanding power of Venice.
I was out with a group of six friends and soon found myself sitting around a big table drinking a local beer whilst busily reading the oversized menu. For lunch I ate my fill of sea bas that I chose from the glass covered display case and chatted with the waiters who conversed with us freely in English. The ocean was to my right and my mind calmed as I gazed at the lightly rippling waters as the sunlight sparkled off the mirror like surface. A beautiful pine tree framed the view perfectly and aided our table with shade from the midday sun for the entirety of the meal. The freshly caught food wasn’t too expensive at about £20 per head including; starters, two courses, drinks, tip and a wonderful ambience - there was even change to buy the six of us an ice cream each.
After lunch I wandered around alone through the old town looking at the 13th century architecture and checking out the tiny shops that litter the narrow winding streets. As with most tourist places these days there are plenty of café’s, jewellery shops and souvenir shops on every corner. One particular shop caught my eye and I picked out a beautiful, traditional hand made silver necklace originally meant to be an intricate button worn in Croatian traditional dress. The shop owner priced the silver by weight and it came to just under £15, half the amount I expected to pay. The detail was incredible and it was a truly unique gift.
Because I hadn’t researched Korcula beforehand, one problem I found initially was working out how much money to get out from the cash machine. I got 400 Croatian Kuna for the day, equivalent to about £40. It’s actually very simple to work out and if I’d done my homework I would have been fine, 1 Kuna =10 pence approximately (depending on the exchange rate of course). I was frustrated to find none of the foreign exchange places would change the money back, even at a steep exchange rate, but I doubt this would be the case on the mainland. My extra cash was the reason I was looking around the shops to begin with, as I’m usually very thrifty when I’m travelling. It was a blessing in disguise because the gift was a great success and well worth the money.
Marko Polo seems to live everywhere according to the many signs, but quite where he did actually reside was never clearly revealed. The Polo family lived over centuries in the town of Korcula and the signs point in various different directions. Because the Polo family spent generations here I’m sure everyone’s claim was in some way genuine and all would be worth a visit. Strapped for time and eager to explore as much of the town as possible I strolled beside the fortified walls that now served to protect Korcula from the elements, and stumbled upon many picturesque doorways, and walked below colourful washing hanging in between rooftops.
The memory of my first visit to Croatia has stayed with me in my minds eye ever since and I was eager to get back and explore some more of the country. As luck would have it our ship docked in the ancient Roman town of Split two months later and I was able to discover more wonderful food and check out the vast market that is sprawled next to the harbour. The golden gates start the city’s fascinating historical journey and it’s well worth roaming around checking out all Split’s history that is outwardly evident through the old town past the modern shops in the centre of the city. Be prepared for Gigantic statues, peaceful woodland, heaps of market stalls and a beautiful harbour, a truly magnificent place to visit.
TJ
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Life’s A Beach – Where Do You Wanna Go?
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